Davorka Gajari

The category of edible plant oils with additional health and sustainable benefits is growing steadily. However, this category still represents a relatively small market segment known as ‘niche oils’. Oils derived from byproducts, especially seeds, are considered as functional foods due to their properties. However, to increase their usage, it is necessary to examine their sensory acceptability among consumers. The results of this research demonstrate that cold-pressed sweet pepper seed oil (Capsicum annuum L.), from the Podravka and Slavonka cultivars, is acceptable to consumers as an ingredient in meal preparation and in various processed food products, due to its favorable organoleptic and physicochemical characteristics. The quality of oil is highly dependent on the quick manipulation of pepper seeds. Pepper seeds, that have been dried for a shorter time, yield oil that has a higher smoke point (230 °C), which makes it suitable even for frying food. Aroma profile analysis revealed that cold-pressed sweet pepper seed oil is rich in terpene trans-β-ocimene (40%), as dominant component. Trans-β-ocimene plays a crucial role in the plant’s protective mechanisms their during growth and development. Consequently, sweet pepper seed oil represents a potential natural resource for isolating this terpene to be used as a biopesticide. Notably, this innovative oil is entirely produced from byproducts (seeds) and thus it provides an additional benefit for consumers who seek to contribute to the sustainability of our planet through their dietary choices. Therefore, this oil holds significant potential for closing the loop in the circular bioeconomy.

Background and objectives: Chemosensory function declines with the progression of age and can potentially impact adherence to a healthy diet. A loss of taste perception could induce higher sodium intake and increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a decrease in olfactory and gustatory function and to analyze the possible association with nutritional status and dietary sodium intake in older nursing home residents. Methods: This study included 123 participants aged 65 years and older (average age of 80.7 ± 5.8 years, 76.5% females) and 70 adults aged 18–64 years (average age of 43.8 ± 8.1 years, 77.2% females) for a comparison of chemosensory function. Olfactory function was determined by the European Test of Olfactory Capabilities (ETOC) and salty taste perception by the rapid detection threshold method. Nutritional status was evaluated by the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF^®). Sodium intake was determined by 24 h recall collected on two non-consecutive days. Results: The results show that olfactory function in the elderly participants (17.3 ± 8.8, 65% hyposmic) was significantly impaired compared to that in the younger population (29.3 ± 2.9, 15% hyposmic) (p < 0.0001). The salty taste recognition threshold in the elderly population (48.8 ± 30.1) was significantly higher compared to that in the younger population (13.7 ± 10.7) (p < 0.001). The MNA^® result for elderly participants was, on average, 13.7 ± 10.7, which indicated normal nutritional status; 22.8% of participants were at risk of malnutrition; and 1.6% were malnourished. This study established significant association between a higher salty taste threshold and intake of sodium (p < 0.02), but there was no significant impact of the loss of olfactory perception on sodium intake. There was no significant association between the loss of gustatory or olfactory function and the nutritional status of elderly people. Discussion: This study showed that chemosensory function declines in older nursing home residents and nutritional status does not appear to be related to this, but it could have a potentially negative impact on health as it is associated with higher sodium intake.

The aim of this study was to evaluate Croatian pepper seed varieties (Podravka and Slavonka) as a new source of added value ingredients. Pepper seed is mostly considered a by-product. For the first time, the pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) seeds of the Slavonka and Podravka varieties were examined as the source material for oil production by the two methods of extraction: cold pressing (CP) and supercritical CO₂ extraction (SC-CO₂). Further, fatty acid profile, tocopherols, and sensory analysis of the oils were examined, as well as the chemical characteristics and antioxidant potential of seed flour. The antioxidant potential of pepper seed flour was different between varieties (Podravka 107 antioxidant unit (AU); Slavonka 70 antioxidant unit (AU)). The Podravka variety pepper seed oil has shown higher γ-tocopherol content (CP 80.1 mg/100 g; SC-CO₂ extraction 65.3 mg/100 g) than the Slavonka variety (CP 65.3 mg/100 g; SC-CO₂ extraction 16.0 mg/100 g). According to the obtained results, cold pressing (CP) would be a more favourable method for pepper seed oil extraction, taking into account sensory evaluation and nutritional quality. The pepper seed oil has potential for culinary application with a nutritional quality comparable to vegetable oils of a higher price class.

The present study was performed to investigate the possibility of sodium reduction in cream cheese by partial reduction and substitution of sodium by potassium based salt. Four salt treatment were selected by preliminary study: 100 % NaCl (control), NaCl reduced to 65 % (T1), 35 % of NaCl substituted by KCl (T2), and KCl-based salt mixture Salut® which contains offflavours masking compound (T3). The study was evaluated physico-chemical attributes, colour, spreadability, sensory acceptance, as well as level of intensity of specific attributes of low-sodium cream cheese. Sodium reduction not influenced on the protein, fat and moisture content, water activity, acidity and the colour of cream cheese (P>0.05). However, sodium reduction significantly influenced to mineral composition, spreadability and sensory properties. The use of potassium salt substitutes significantly increased the value of K:Na ratio. Cheese containing commercial salt replacer Salut® had the closest hedonic score to control cheese compared to other replacers. The current research demonstrates that sodium content can be reduced by 35 % in cream cheese using a nutritionally valuable potassium-based salt mixture, without compromising the consumer acceptance.